We thought we’d take a look at some of the dedicated Android tablets for kids that are now hitting the market. It’s worth considering one for your child for a number of reasons. They can help children to learn about various subjects, improve their motor skills, spark their creativity, and keep them amused on road trips or while you cook dinner.
The question is – are these dedicated child-friendly Android tablets worth getting as opposed to a standard Android tablet with the right collection of apps? Considering that you can install parental control apps and limit what your kids do with a standard Android tablet, the limitations of dedicated tablets for kids might be enough to make you think twice. Let’s take a closer look at what’s on offer.
- 7-inch touchscreen (800×480 resolution)
- 1GHz single-core processor
- 1GB of RAM
- Android 4.0 (ICS)
- 4GB memory (and micro SDHC slot)
- WiFi
- 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera
You might be getting a sense of déjà vu because the Archos ChildPad is virtually identical to the Tabeo. The original ChildPad was $10 cheaper, but it had a resistive touchscreen, this updated version has a capacitive touchscreen and it works much better. It also comes with a bunch of pre-installed apps including Alvin & The Chipmunks 3 content thanks to some kind of deal with 20th Century Fox. There’s a clunky interface, parental controls, and a kid friendly app store with around 10,000 apps and games in it. This is tough to recommend.
Tabeo ($150)
- 7-inch touchscreen (800×480 resolution)
- 1GHz single-core processor
- 1GB of RAM
- Android 4.0 (ICS)
- 4GB memory (and micro SDHC slot)
- WiFi
- 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera
The Tabeo looks like a kid’s toy and it comes with a range of brightly colored plastic frames for that 7-inch screen. It also comes with parental controls and 50 pre-installed apps. There’s no access to Google Play so new apps have to be acquired through the Tabeo App Store which has around 7,000 to choose from right now. Even at $150 this isn’t a great tablet.
Fuhu Nabi 2 ($200)
- 7-inch touchscreen (1024×600 resolution)
- 1.3GHz quad-core processor
- 1GB of RAM
- Android 4.0 (ICS)
- 8GB memory (and microSD slot)
- WiFi
- 2-megapixel front-facing camera
This is a bit more like it, just because a tablet is for kids, doesn’t mean that it has to be underpowered and the Fuhu Nabi 2 proves it with a Tegra 3 processor. You also have the usual kid-friendly interface and curated content including Mom-approved apps, music, and optional TV shows (unlimited streaming of Spinlets+ TV is $2.99 per month). The parent mode is stock Android and you can also access the Amazon App Store on the Fuhu Nabi 2. In fact, you could even root the Fuhu Nabi 2 and add Google apps if you like. This tablet has a kid-friendly, tough exterior and a solid set of specs. The interface, the combination of entertainment and educational content, and the decent quality hardware make this well worth a look.
Oregon Scientific MEEP ($150)
- 7-inch touchscreen (800×480 resolution)
- 1GHz single-core processor
- 512MB of RAM
- Android 4.0 (ICS)
- 4GB memory (and microSD slot)
- WiFi
- 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera
The early reviews for this underpowered tablet are not good. The main selling point seems to be the durability factor as this is a rugged Android tablet designed to stand up to boisterous kids. It also has parental controls that can be adjusted remotely, which is a good idea. There are also some interesting accessories like a drum pad and steering wheel, but they cost extra. It’s tough to look past the disappointing specs here.
Kurio 7 ($150)
- 7-inch touchscreen (800×480 resolution)
- 1.2GHz single-core processor
- 1GB of RAM
- Android 4.0 (ICS)
- 4GB memory (and microSD slot)
- WiFi
- 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 2.1-megapixel rear-facing camera
A colorful rubber bumper, parental controls, and a batch of pre-installed apps combined with a decent set of specs make the Kurio a good option in this price bracket. The interface isn’t the most intuitive in the world and there’s no Google Play, just the limited Kurio App Store. There is an adult mode and kids might enjoy taking snaps with the rear-facing camera. If you can scrape together another $50 then you should skip this.
